Our Mission

Spend a day at The Grotto School

By admin | July 22, 2011

Some people dream of climbing Mount Everest. Some people dream of walking on Mars. Here at 826, we’ve dreamed all our lives of becoming famous writers. If you’re anything like us, you’re not going to want to miss this upcoming event. On Saturday, September 17, the renowned SF Writers’ Grotto is opening its doors to a limited number of writers to offer a day of workshops to help you—whether you’re just getting started writing, or you have a couple novels on the shelf—make your writing dreams a reality.

At The Grotto School, you will learn from professional writers during four exceptional workshops. You’ll polish your professional demeanor as accomplished author, journalist, and Grotto co-founder Ethan Watters teaches you how to land assignments and present to agents in The Down and Dirty of Pitching. You’ll find stories in places you never expected with author, graphic novelist, and screenwriter Gerard Jones in Finding the Story. You’ll discover enormous stores of creativity in the hidden part of your brain with the incredible Janis Cooke Newman in Creative Writing Jumpstart. And then you’ll get a break. Hopefully there’s going to be a break.

Next, you’ll explore The Business of Publishing and How to Find a Place In It, an industry panel of distinguished writers, agents, editors, and publishers moderated by Nieman Foundation director Constance Hale. You’ll get a dose of inspiration from the brilliant Zyzzyva editor Laura Cogan and Nion McEvoy, CEO & Chairman of Chronicle Books, CEO of Spin Magazine, & Co-Owner of 7×7 Magazine. You’ll rush to scribble down every tip that literary agent Andy Ross mentions while reveling in the marketing genius of Peter Kay, Director of Digital Marketing and Strategy at W.W. Norton & Company, Inc. Finally, you’ll take a deep breath and sit down with a published writer for a personal, one-on-one consultation on your work. Somewhere in there, you’ll also do yoga with SF Gate columnist and local legend Mark Morford.

In one day of intensive workshops, you will not only gain an unparalleled edge in the writing and publishing business, but also begin your life as a benevolent philanthropist by raising money to benefit 826 Valencia’s free student programming.

Basically, it’s going to be a phenomenal day of creative enrichment and incredible productivity that will make your friends and colleagues green with envy. So get to it! Buy your ticket while you still can at http://www.brownpapertickets.com/event/186211 and start picking the perfect notebook for your day at The Grotto School.